Love Just Took Me By Surprise
by Mrs Carmichael
Summary: Neither of them expected to fall in love, least of all with each other. She thought they were just friends and colleagues but what happens when feelings go deeper than any friendship really should? Reddie all the way. Please read and review xxx


**Love Just Took Me By Surprise**

**Summary: Neither of them expected to fall in love, least of all with each other. She thought they were just friends and colleagues but what happens when feelings go deeper than any friendship really should? Reddie all the way, set after Series 4 Episode 10.**

_"Rachel!" Eddie called after her as he came out of the school's main doors to see her getting into her car._

Rachel looked up at him and their gazes locked, she saw his face and knew what he was there for. She knew what his standing there meant, Melissa's ultimatum: _It's me or her_. It didn't take a genius to work out who he had chosen, why else would he be standing there? "You..." Rachel started, unable to get the words out.

Eddie nodded, understanding what she meant to say, "I couldn't go through with it Rachel, me and Melissa are finished," he replied.

Rachel's jaw dropped, she couldn't believe he had chosen her over her sister. She couldn't believe what had happened since they'd all came back from the boxing, her sister, a bigamist, Rachel couldn't believe it, how could Melissa have kept that from her, and more importantly, Eddie? It didn't matter now it was out in the open. "You chose me," Rachel said, finally getting the words out.

Eddie nodded again, "I did," he replied.

Rachel still couldn't look away, "why? Why did you choose me over Melissa?"

"I'll explain, do you fancy a drink? I think we could use one after today,"

Rachel smiled and nodded, "yeah, why not?" she replied.

He walked towards her car and opened the passengers door as Rachel got in the driver's side. She started up the engine and reversed out of the parking space before driving off.

* * *

"So come on then," Rachel said once she and Eddie were sat in the corner of the local pub with a glass of red wine and a pint of beer respectively, "why did you choose me over Mel?"

Eddie looked at her, "She lied to me Rach," he replied, "I couldn't marry someone who I couldn't trust. I know you've lied to me in the past too, about your past but you did it for the right reasons and I forgave you. Melissa, well, she didn't have a reason to lie, least of all to me, she could've just told me the truth right from the word go. She said she intended on telling us both but how do we know she wasn't lying about that too? It's Phillip I feel most sorry for though, I still can't believe he didn't say anything before,"

"I know, me too. I guess he didn't say anything because he was worried about what would happen if he did. I can't believe he kept it a secret for as long as he did, she fooled us all Eddie, you weren't the only one taken for a mug. She looked me right in the eye last week and told me that the decree nisi had come through, I just can't believe I believed her,"

"She's your sister, you trust her. You don't expect to be lied to by your own sister,"

"Well, I did. Now, I'm not so sure,"

"You and me both, but let's be honest, I'd have looked a lot more foolish if we'd gone through with the wedding and then had the secret came out,"

"Yeah, you would have done. I'm just glad for your sake that it came out now, I'd have hated it if it had come out later, when you were married."

"Really?" Eddie asked.

Rachel nodded, "I'm sorry Eddie," she suddenly said.

"What have you got to be sorry for?"

"I'm just sorry you had to find out the way you did, if there had been any other way, I'd have taken it,"

"The important thing is Rachel, I know now so don't beat yourself up about it," Eddie said as he rested his hand on her knee in a surprise gesture of affection.

Neither of them had expected that, it was just an impulse on Eddie's part. She smiled, glad that he was there with her. "I still can't believe she even tried to turn it around on me," Rachel said, breaking the silence that had descended between them.

"I reckon she'd have tried anything to let herself off the hook, she did have a point though,"

Rachel looked at him, "how do you mean?" she asked, trying to show that she had no idea what he meant but deep down, she knew.

"She may be a bigamist and a liar but she got one thing right, I did love you, and I still do," he replied.

Their gazes locked once again, she saw it, she saw the love that he had for her reflected in his eyes. She couldn't deny it any longer, she had tried, this with her and Eddie had been brewing for months, before Melissa even arrived but she'd just ignored it, hoping that the feelings that she had would go away with time, but they hadn't. She had just stayed in the background, hovering, getting increasingly jealous of Eddie's relationship with Melissa but not letting it show. Mel had said herself that she felt threatened by Rachel's presence and now she knew why, because Melissa perceived her as a rival for Eddie's affections. Now that Melissa was out of the picture, there was nothing to stop them. She looked down, unable to look into his eyes any longer. "How can you still love me Eddie?" she asked, staring down at her lap.

He looked slightly confused and put his beer down on the table before putting his hand underneath her chin, lifting it up so she was forced to look at him. "I don't know how you can ask that Rachel. I meant what I said on that first day of term, you are special and the scar doesn't change that. You've got the scars from the fire but it doesn't change who you are, the scars don't make you the woman you are, your personality and warmth make you the woman I love more than anyone before you so please…can you just give me a chance to prove it to you,"

Rachel's lips curved upwards into a smile, "you really mean it don't you?" she asked.

"Of course I mean it, I wouldn't say anything I didn't mean, you should know that about me by now,"

Rachel laughed, Eddie smiled, it felt good to see her laugh, after everything that had happened in the last few months. He leant towards her, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face before pressing his lips softly to hers. She gasped slightly at the feeling of his lips pressing against her own, she had longed for this moment for a long time and now it was finally happening. He pulled away slightly and looked into her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction. Rachel smiled slightly at him, indicating that he had done the right thing by kissing her. He leant back towards her and pressed his lips once again to hers and this time, he gently used his tongue to pry open her mouth and she lost herself to him, letting her emotions get the better of her. All of a sudden, this didn't feel so wrong anymore, if this had happened at any other time in the last few weeks, Rachel would've felt nothing but guilt at betraying her sister but now, all she could feel was happiness. She had thought about this moment for ages, wondering what it would be like to kiss him and now she was living it for real. Rachel allowed her tongue to move inside his mouth and dance around his fervently. They both pulled away several moments, grinning slightly at the other. "How about we go back to mine," Eddie said. Rachel looked into his eyes and then down at her own lap, wondering whether they were taking things too fast. Eddie pulled her face back up so it was level with his, "we don't have to do anything you don't want, I'm happy to take things slowly,"

"You are?"

Eddie nodded, "I don't wanna lose you by pushing you into something if you're not ready for it," he said. Rachel smiled at his compassion, "we can just go back to mine for another drink, if that's what you want,"

"I'm not sure Eddie, I have got Phillip staying with me remember,"

"He'll be fine for a couple of hours, come on Rach,"

She looked at him and gave in, unable to resist his offer, "go on then, only a couple of hours though," Rachel said.

Eddie nodded once more as he finished his beer and stood up. Rachel finished her glass of red wine and followed Eddie's lead, standing up and following him out of the pub.

They began to walk back towards her car. Rachel unlocked the doors and got into the drivers side. As soon as Eddie had got into the passenger's seat, she turned to face him, "you know what Eddie," she said, "Melissa was right about what she said earlier."

"Which bit?" Eddie asked.

"She was open about her situation, I need to be too," she said, not moving her gaze from Eddie's, "she was right, I do love you Eddie and I want us to work."

He grinned broadly at her before leaning across to kiss her softly on the lips. He pulled away and they both done up their seatbelts before Rachel started the engine and drove off. Neither of them had expected to fall in love with the other but now, they knew now that it was inevitable, it had to happen eventually and now it had, there was no turning back, the feelings had been unleashed and neither of them wanted to take that back now.

* * *

**Comments are welcomed! XxxxX**


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